


One and the Same

by reyloavatar



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:20:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26816497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reyloavatar/pseuds/reyloavatar
Summary: “Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them, but when the world needed her most, she vanished. Fifty years passed and my friend Poe and I discovered the new Avatar, an airbender named Rey. Although her airbending skills are great, she has a lot to learn before she is ready to save anyone. But I believe Rey can save the world.”-Finn of the Southern Water TribeFinn and Poe, two members of the Southern Water Tribe, discover a young girl frozen in ice. She is Rey, the Avatar, the last Airbender, destined to master all four elements. Although her return is celebrated, she has a lot to learn before she can take down Fire Lord Snoke and end the war that Emperor Palpatine, Vader, and the Sith, a group of firebender cultists, began fifty years prior. As Rey embarks on her journey, she meets friends and foes along the way. Her journey will not be an easy one, as an exiled Fire Nation prince actively pursues her, accompanied by his tea-loving uncle. Though they begin as enemies, Rey will discover that he will have the key to her success... and perhaps even her heart.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 11
Kudos: 15





	1. Book of Air: Part I

_**_**Book of Air: Part I** _ ** _

“ _ _Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them, but when the world needed her most, she vanished. Fifty years passed and my friend Poe and I discovered the new Avatar, an airbender named Rey. Although her airbending skills are great, she has a lot to learn before she’s ready to save anyone. But I believe Rey can save the world.”__

__-Finn of the Southern Water Tribe_ _

__***__

The spiraling towers of the Southern Air Temple never failed to amaze her, even though she had lived there most of her life. As dusk approached, the sun sent an orange glow across the mountain side, casting shadows around every corner of the city. There was always a gentle breeze that blew, due to the jubilant airbender children who flew around on their gliders.

Rey sat cross-legged, her hands draping over her knees with her eyes open, even though they were supposed to be closed in meditation.

“Since you appear to be so distracted, I guess we can stop for today.” Maz chastised, raising a nonexistent eyebrow at her. Her deep eyes usually twinkled with a sense of knowing, but something clouded Maz’s usually flamboyant and boisterous attitude today. Rey could not help but wonder what was troubling her master. 

“Thank you, Master.” Rey said. “The temples are beautiful at this time of day, right before the moon rises.” 

“Speaking of the night, you have patrol duties.” Maz told her, adjusting her wide rimmed spectacles. “Do not venture too far South, child. The freezing cold is not good for the bison’s health.” 

The young avatar rolled her eyes, hopping to her feet. She slung her staff over her shoulder and walked quickly down the steps of the temple. Maz scurried after her like a winged lemur. 

“I’m serious, young avatar.” Maz continued, falling into stride with Rey. “You are the last hope for humankind. I can sense a storm on the horizon. The Fire Nation is unsettled. You are the only warrior that will ever be capable of restoring balance to our world.” 

“I understand, Master.” Rey nodded in acknowledgement. Any mirth or cheekiness that Rey had vanished at Maz’s mention of her destiny. Her destiny had been preached to her countless times by the monks and nomads with whom she lived. She no longer could walk (or fly) without receiving looks of bewilderment and fear from the citizens of the Southern Air Temple. When she was claimed by the Avatars, Rey became an outcast, even among her few friends. Her childhood was cut short, as she began mastering her own element with the hope that soon she would be able to find water, earth, and firebenders willing to teach her. 

Rey and Maz reached the stables where her bison, BeeBee, was kept. She began to pack food and clothes into the saddle to prepare for her night patrol. 

“You speak to me as if I am a child and have never been on patrol before. What is so different about tonight?” Rey asked, running her fingers over the orange speckled arrow atop BeeBee’s head.

“The Fire Nation just lost their empress. Fire Lord Vader has declared war against the Earth Kingdom and the Northern and Southern Water Tribes. He believes the wielders of other elements are to blame. It will not be too long before we are next.” 

Rey locked eyes with her master. Worry etched itself across Maz’s face. Rey had never seen Maz like this, jittering with unbridled anxiety like a bumble fly. 

“You’re concerned.” Rey noted, bending down so that she was at eye level with her master. Rey had begun training with Maz when she was twelve years old. Now, at sixteen, she towered over the short woman. 

“Yes.” Maz stated, placing two fingers at the center of Rey’s forehead, where her arrowlike tattoo cut in between her eyebrows. “It is my duty to protect my people.” 

Rey’s brow furrowed. “And my duty as well. I will stay behind tonight. You can send someone else out. I need to protect us.” 

“No. You are the best patrol we have. You are the best flyer and most likely to be able to fend for yourself if something is to go wrong. I want you on patrol tonight.” 

Rey narrowed her eyes at Maz. “You want me gone. You fear something is coming and want to protect me, so you are sending me away.” 

“Child-” 

She shot up, crossing her arms in anger. “No! I am not a child! I will not be treated as such. I am the best bender you have!” 

“And the most valuable.” Maz answered quietly, sighing, and casting her eyes to the stone floor. “I want you on patrol tonight, my word is final.”

“Why Master?” Rey pleaded. “Why can’t I stay behind and fight. If the Fire Nation is to attack, you will need me here.” 

“I do not think you understand, Rey.” Maz paused, sternly taking Rey’s wrist, and guiding her closer to BeeBee, almost in indication that she should begin patrol now. “You are the Avatar. You are the only hope for mankind. If you are to die, the Avatar will be reborn into the Fire Nation, making them unstoppable. You must survive, Rey. That is your mission.” 

Rey nodded solemnly. “I understand, Master. I will do my best on patrol tonight.” 

Maz smiled gently before her face contorted back to its look of concern. “If something is to happen tonight, do not return. Seek out the Northern Water Tribe to continue your training. Only there will you be able to unlock your true potential.” 

“What do you mean if something were to happen?” Rey questioned, anxiety bubbling in her chest. She could feel her stomach in knots as she tugged at her orange wraps nervously. 

“Everything is going to be fine, Rey. Remember, the belonging you seek is not behind you, it is ahead, young Avatar. I will see you in the morning when you return.” Maz did not look confident in her words, but patted Rey lovingly on the hip and gestured for her to mount BeeBee.

“Thank you, Master.” Rey smiled, but her eyes filled with unshed tears. She felt as if this was a goodbye, as if this was the last time she would be seeing Maz in this lifetime. “I will see you soon.” __In this life, or the next.__

“Yip Yip!” Maz said, smacking BeeBee gently on his flank. 

BeeBee rose into the air and as Rey ascended into the clouds, she watched as Maz became smaller and smaller. The temple followed after, becoming just a speck in her vision. A single tear trekked its way down Rey’s cheek as she left her home behind. When she would return in fifty years, unknowingly, it would not be the same.

BeeBee flew into the clouds to conceal himself and set out South on the patrol route. The air soon became frigid as Rey furthered closer to the South Pole. She kept a watchful eye, scanning the rivers and seas for anything suspicious. The snowy mountaintops reminded Rey of the winters she spent with her friends, blowing snow at one another and creating flurries of white crystals that resembled a blizzard. 

Night began to fall, so Rey dozed for an hour or so, leaning against BeeBee’s neck and finding warmth in his fur. His steady breathing lulled her to sleep. She woke suddenly when BeeBee grunted in alarm, causing her to drearily peek over the side of the saddle at the landscape below. 

An industrial Fire Nation ship cut quickly through the river, snaking its way through the mountain range, leaving a dusty trail of smoke in its wake. It was moving in the direction of the Air Temple. __Maz was right!__

“Come on BeeBee, we have to help them!” She shouted, turning BeeBee around. BeeBee was already tired, but they had to keep moving if they wanted to help the Air Nomads. 

Rey felt her heart racing as they shot through the clouds, the cold air stinging at the tender skin on her cheeks. She could feel that they were wet yet again, whether it was from tears or the condensation in the air, she did not know. 

“Faster, BeeBee!” She urged, hoping they would make it in time. Rey’s breathing accelerated as her vision blurred. Her focus was straight ahead, hoping that she was taking the fastest route to the Air Temple. Rey steered BeeBee into an opening, leaving them completely vulnerable to the eyes of the Fire Nation ship. She heard an explosion as a catapult fired at them from the surface of the boat, the fireball shrieking through the air. 

Rey quickly grabbed her staff, which also served as her glider, and jumped, hoping to swoop down and bend the fireball away from BeeBee, but she was too late. BeeBee yelped in pain as the fireball hit his side. 

“No!” Rey yelled from the air. The ship fired blast after blast in hopes to decimate them both. BeeBee groaned, his pristine fur singing away. She grimaced at the smell of burning, raw flesh. Rey took a hold of his reins hastily, hoisting herself back into his saddle and rushing to escape the onslaught of ammunition from their enemies.

“Yip Yip!” She shouted, her voice hoarse and rough from screaming. She could not hear anything over the next explosion as BeeBee was struck again, this time in the stomach, sending them both tumbling towards the freezing water below. BeeBee was unconscious, unmoving as Rey clung to his now limp form. The air rushed in her ears as they fell, her heart fluttering against her ribcage like a bird. Rey took a breath as they hit the water. She was struck by the freezing temperatures, the water completely immobilizing her. She panicked, her eyes searching for someone or something that would help them. 

__Use the state.__ She heard a small whisper in her ear. The voice sounded familiar. 

Rey closed her eyes and concentrated, feeling the spirit of the previous Avatars rushing through her. Her tattoos sent a bright glow throughout the sea as the water swirled around her and BeeBee, encompassing them in a capsule of ice. Her last thoughts were of Maz as her world went black. 

*** 

50 years later… 

“We’re lost!” Finn bellowed, groaning, and pressing his face into his hands in annoyance. He could not believe that he had entrusted Poe with getting them home safely. “This is all your fault!” 

Poe gasped in mock hurt, shrinking away from Finn’s accusatory finger. “My fault? How is this mess my fault?”

“Oh Finn! I know a shortcut that will get us home in half the time!” Finn mocked Poe, prancing around the ship while speaking in a squeaky, high-pitched voice. “We are so far South that even the Fire Nation won’t catch us! Don’t worry! I’m a master with maps!” 

“First of all, I don’t sound like that.” Poe reasoned, crossing his arms over his chest. “And second of all, we wouldn’t have needed to take that shortcut if you had just bent that ice block out of our way!”

He sighed, massaging his temples, and pacing back and forth over the deck of their small boat. “I told you. I haven’t mastered bending ice yet. I don’t have anyone to teach me back home besides my Gran Gran!”

“That explains why you look like an eighty-year-old man when you bend!” Poe teased, a smirk gracing his features. 

“You take that back!” Finn shouted. Finn was the last waterbender in his village, aside from his grandmother. The rest of the waterbenders from the Southern Water Tribe, including Finn’s father and Poe’s older brother, were off at war fighting the Fire Nation. 

“It’s true. You’re pathetic.” 

Finn clenched his fists and reached out for water, smacking Poe in the face with a water whip.

“Ow!” Poe cried, rubbing at his sore and red cheek. “You’re lucky I don’t have my boomerang with me, or you’d be in several different pieces right now!”

Finn scoffed, unthreatened by Poe’s attempt to scare him. “Don’t try me Poe, not when we are out here surrounded by the one element I can bend.” 

“You wouldn’t.” Poe shrunk back. 

“I would.” Finn threatened. 

“Oh, I’m so scared! Mr. Terrible Waterbender, please don’t hurt me!” Poe laughed, sticking his tongue out childishly at Finn. Poe began to run teasingly from one side of the boat to the other.

Finn rolled his eyes, turning to set his sights on the water ahead of them. “By the avatar, what is that?” He gasped suddenly. Finn noticed as Poe stopped running, his petulant expression morphing into one of shock. 

“I don’t know.” Poe said, slowing the boat to a stop and running to the railing. 

In Front of them was a towering iceberg, floating atop the eerily calm crystal blue water. Finn cocked his head in curiosity, noticing its unusual sheerness against the quickly darkening sky. He could see a bright burst of orange among the ice, along with what looked like a giant hairy beast. He rubbed his eyes, certain that they were deceiving him. 

“Wow, we found something you didn’t know. Shocker.” Finn quipped sarcastically, stepping up to stand beside Poe. He tightened his grip on the railing and leaned forward, eager to get closer to the floating ice mass. 

“It looks like there’s someone trapped inside.” Poe said, squinting to get a better look. 

“You’re right.” Finn gaped, hoisting himself up and over the railing. He heard a loud crunch as his boots connected with the hard ice. “We have to help them!”

“Are you kidding me, Finn?” Poe followed. “We don’t even know who they are.” 

Finn examined the iceberg, looking at all the cracks and crevices, hoping to find a way to break it and free what was inside. “We have to try.” 

“If there’s someone in there, and that’s a big if, how could they be alive? Based on the ice layering, I’d say that this iceberg is around 30 to 60 years old.” Poe reasoned. 

Finn ignored the guy’s protest and placed a hand on the iceberg and closed his eyes. He could hear Poe bickering, so he held up a hand to silence him. Finn focused all his energy into the ice, willing it to melt away and reveal the secrets that laid beyond it.

“Holy shit!” Poe’s curse was cut off by a loud explosion. 

Finn opened his eyes just as the ice shattered like glass, casting sharp fragments through the air. Finn ducked and covered his head with his hands. When he realized he was unscathed, he glanced over to see that Poe had pulled his hood up over his head. Finn slid his gaze back to the towering iceberg only to realize that it was gone. The air around them began to glow as an unidentifiable figure hovered in the air for a few seconds, then collapsed onto the furred beast below it.

The boys rushed into the wreckage.

“Is that?” Finn asked. 

“A flying bison.” Poe finished exasperatedly. “From the Air Temples.” 

“But the airbenders went extinct.” Finn said. “Fifty years ago, the Southern and Northern Air temples were simultaneously destroyed by the Fire Nation.”

“I told you. This bison and that person have been trapped in this iceberg for years.” Poe said, obviously fascinated by the situation. Finn knew that Poe always desired to learn new things, even if they resulted with him almost getting them killed. 

Finn approached the figure quietly. It was an airbender, Finn knew. Air Nomads were easily recognizable because of their trademark tattoos. The airbender was a girl! 

He knelt by the girl and shook her lightly by the shoulder. She gasped, sitting up and searching around frantically. Her hazel eyes landed on him and she scurried away, shielding herself with her bison

“It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.” Finn said calmly, holding out his hands in surrender. 

“Who are you?” She asked, her eyes narrowing. Her accent was rich and textured, an accent Finn had never heard before. Granted, Finn had never met anyone from the Air Temples before. He had never met anyone outside of the people in his tribe.

“I’m Finn and this is Poe. We’re from the Southern Water Tribe. We want to help you.” Finn reasoned, slowly stepping towards her. Finn watched as Poe took the knife from his belt and placed it on the ground, mirroring Finn’s stance.

“Who are you?” Poe asked. Finn nodded in acknowledgement of the question. 

“I’m Rey.” The girl responded, a newfound confidence displayed in her straightening stature. She clenched her fists, jutting her chin up proudly. Her eyes and tattoos glowed a blinding white. “I’m the Avatar.”

***

She eyed the dark skinned waterbender and his friend suspiciously, chewing at the tough meat of a recently caught and cooked arctic fish. They had offered her their extra fur coat that they kept on their boat, so she took it and was currently bundled up against BeeBee, her teeth chattering from the unfamiliar bite of the chilly wind.

“So…” Poe began, raising an eyebrow and folding his hands together expectantly. “You’re the Avatar?”

“Yes.” Rey said, swallowing her food. “I am.”

“Wicked.” Poe broke out into a lopsided, impish grin. “So you can bend every element? Maybe help our boy Finn master waterbending? He’s not great.”

“Hey!” Finn yelled, flicking his fish bones at Poe. “Like I said, I’m working on it.”

“He’s better than me, that’s for sure. Unfortunately, I only know airbending. I have to learn about the other three elements still.”

“What can we do to help you?” Finn asked, leaning closer to the fire he and Poe had built.

“I need to find the Northern Water Tribe to master waterbending. Then I need to master the other two elements, Earth and Fire, before defeating Fire Lord Vader and restoring peace to the world.”

Looks of surprise crossed over the boys’ faces. Rey watched as they looked at one another in confusion.

“Fire Lord Vader died a long time ago, almost thirty years back.” Poe said.

“What?” Rey asked, her mind racing. “What do you mean? His wife just died and he started a war between the Fire Nation and the wielders of the other three elements!” 

“Rey,” Finn paused. “What year do you think it is?”

“72 AA.” Rey explained, combing a nervous hand through her hair and tugging at the familiar three buns she had tied back. They were a symbol of her home, a home she needed to return to.

“It’s not.” Poe revealed. “You were trapped in the ice for fifty years.”

“What?” Rey asked again, more startled and bewildered than ever. “There’s no way I was trapped underwater for fifty years! How did I survive?”

“What’s the last thing you remember?” Finn asked, scooting closer and placing a hand on her shoulder. Rey flinched slightly, but was grateful for the comforting contact.

“I was drowning in the water.” She shuddered. “My master asked me to go on patrol that night. I was shot down by a Fire Nation ship. I nearly died. I think the previous avatars of the spirit realm saved me.”

“Now you’re here.” Finn breathed, looking from Rey back to his friend. “This can’t be a coincidence Poe! She’s here for a reason! She is going to take down Fire Lord Snoke!”

Poe gasped. “You’re right. The spirit realm must have sent Rey to us so she could save us!”

“The last time I tried to do that the Fire Nation almost killed me.” She shrunk back further. “I don’t know what to do, and I’m afraid. I need someone to show me my place in all this.”

Finn and Poe looked at her, sympathy crossing their features.

“Look, Rey.” Finn started. “We don’t blame you for being afraid. The Fire Nation has taken something from each of us. My mother and both of Poe’s parents were lost at the hands of the Fire Nation. But don’t you realize? You are the only one capable of defeating the Fire Nation because you can learn to master all four of the elements!”

Rey straightened up, still timid, but empowered by Finn’s words. “You’re right. I need to craft my own destiny.”

“And we will be here with you, always.” Poe reassured, his usual cocky bravado slipping to reveal a more tender and considerate side to him. 

“Thank you.” She breathed, smiling at both of the boys who had shown her so much kindness in so little time. “What would I do without you?”

“Well for one, you’d still be trapped in that iceberg if it wasn’t for us!” Poe joked.

Finn elbowed him in the ribs, grinning as Poe yelped in pain. “I’m the one who got her out dimwit, remember that?”

“Oh, right.” Poe punched Finn lightly in the shoulder. “Can’t forget Finn and his miracleworking!”

Rey laughed along with her newfound friends, but soon refocused on the time sensitive task at hand. “How do we get to the Northern Water Tribe? I don’t know my way around.”

“First we need to go home to gather supplies before setting off. Then we put this flying bison to use!” Poe shouted excitedly, bounding to his feet and speeding over to BeeBee. “I’ve always wanted to fly one one of these things.”

BeeBee grunted in disagreement.

“He has a name, you know.” Rey teased, tightening BeeBee’s saddle, thankful that the injuries he sustained during their previous encounter with the Fire Nation were healed.

“A name I don’t know?”

“It’s BeeBee.” 

“Aww!” Poe cooed, stepping in front of BeeBee’s face to scratch his head. “Who’s a cute little bison? You are, yes you are!”

BeeBee affectionately stuck out his heavy tongue and licked Poe from head to toe, coating him in a shiny layer of slobber. Poe’s hair stuck up in all directions, revealing the reddening tips of his ears.

“OH YUCK!” Poe grimaced, while Rey and Finn snickered from afar.

“I think he likes you, Poe.” Finn commented, clutching his stomach and doubling over.

“Whatever.” Poe grumbled, stomping out the fire they had made and shaking his coat out in an attempt to rid it of bison spit. “Let’s go.”

Rey mounted BeeBee first, then helped Poe and a rather fearful Finn get situated in the saddle. While Poe seemed excited to lift off, Finn appeared as though he was going to vomit.

“Hold on!” Rey shouted. “BeeBee, Yip Yip!”

As BeeBee rose into the air, Finn grabbed onto the saddle for dear life and screwed his eyes shut tightly. Poe laughed at his friend’s discomfort, holding his arms out.

“I HATE FLYINGGGGGG!” Shouted Finn.

“I LOVE FLYINGGGGGGG!” Yelled Poe.

BeeBee swept through the sky and headed in the direction of the Southern Water Tribe, per Poe’s instructions. Rey had not flown since she had ridden BeeBee on that fateful night, but despite all of her time away from the air, it still felt like home. She could not stop thinking about Maz and her family back home. Maybe they could make a stop there before heading North? Rey smiled at the prospect of seeing her family again. Surely they would all be much older, but she knew in all other aspects, her home would be the same. Rey swallowed the nervous lump in her throat as she leaned back into the comfort of her bison, hoping to anyone who could hear her that the Southern Air Temple had remained unscathed during the war. Rey would soon discover the consequences of her false hope.

***

The Southern Water tribe was small, just as Rey remembered Maz describing it. It was lined with blue tee-pees, each built of a mixture of ice and fur pelts. Small fire pits were scattered across the area, each cooking pots of stew or freshly caught meat. The people were adorned with similar attire to the clothing of Finn and Poe. Many of them wore necklaces and rings made of shells and shared a similar tan skin. Many of the girls wore beads in their hair and braided it back away from their face. Rey felt and looked like an outsider.

As she dismounted, several children ran up to pet BeeBee, enthralled by the rare and surprisingly gentle beast. She grinned at the innocence of the children skipping around and chanting in a dialect she had never heard before.

“Gran Gran!” Finn shouted, running to meet an older woman who hobbled to greet them all. 

The woman wore a long and fluffy poncho, adorned with white sea pearls. Her ebony hair was fading into wisps of grey and her tough and wrinkled face was surprisingly gentle as she took her grandson into a loving embrace.

“Good to see the two of you made it back in one piece.” She chuckled, pulling a reluctant Poe into a hug as well. Gran Gran shot both of the boys a toothless grin before settling her eyes on Rey.

“Who might you be?”

“I’m Rey.” She said. “I’m-”

“The Avatar.” Gran Gran finished, her dark eyes swimming with recognition. “You’re an airbender, so you must be the Avatar, given that there are no airbenders left.”

Rey swallowed nervously, fidgeting with the strap of her staff. “You must be mistaken. I’m sure I am not the last airbender. But all that aside, what you say is true. I am the Avatar.”

Gran Gran wrapped Rey in a long and uncomfortable hug that kind of reminded her of the few awkward hugs she and Maz shared over the years.

“Then you know of your destiny.” Gran Gran said, placing a withered hand on Rey’s cheek. Her palm was warm and comforting. 

“I do.” Rey asserted. “I need to master the other three elements, Water, Fire, and Earth.”

“I assume you need passage to the Northern Water Tribe. Although I am a waterbender, I am not fit to train the Avatar. ” Gran Gran said. “The very best waterbender lives there, Master Holdo. She will provide the best training for you, Rey.”

“We’d like to accompany her.” Poe blurted. “Just to make sure she gets there safely.”

“Safe? With you? Please. You’re destined for disaster!” Gran Gran laughed boisterously, tapping Poe on the hip with her cane.

Poe flushed in embarrassment, crossing his arms and staring at the ground, almost as if the ice beneath his feet had become the most interesting substance in the world. “Not funny.” He mumbled.

“Of course you may go. It is about time you saw the world, Finn. Besides, maybe you too could learn a lot from Master Holdo.” Gran Gran nodded at her grandson affectionately.

Finn beamed excitedly and pulled his grandmother into another quick hug, dashing off to pack his things for the journey. Poe followed his friends, leaving Rey alone with the old woman.

“Rey.” Gran Gran began. “The avatar, you, disappeared fifty years ago without a trace. I was a newly trained waterbender when the Fire Nation began attacking all over the world. We thought the hope for mankind was gone. I am relieved to see that you are not gone and have returned to save us.”

“I will do my best.” Rey smiled tightly, unsure of the crippling expectations Gran Gran was setting before her.

“The Fire Lord is not only a threat. Snoke is not the only villain you will encounter. The exiled fire prince seeks revenge. Be careful and take care of those boys. They have a knack for trouble.” Gran Gran winked at her.

“I will.”

“FIRE NATION SHIP!” A scout shouted as he slid across the ice, panting and pointing to the large grey mass that began to fill more and more of the horizon. The ship appeared nearly identical to the one Rey had encountered fifty years ago. The smokestack of the ship spewed tons of ash and soot into the air, creating a murky and sinister cloud that surrounded the boat.

“Everyone inside!” Gran Gran shouted, ushering all of the children into their tee-pees. Rey knew that the shelter would be no match for the weaponry of the Fire Nation. The soldiers of the Fire Nation were ruthless and merciless. They spared no one without surrender. Rey began to slide across the ice towards the sea and the ship, unslinging her glider from across her back. 

Finn’s exasperated voice sounded from behind her. “REY!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!”

“TRUST ME!” She yelled over the howling wind. “YOU HAVE TO TRUST THAT I KNOW WHAT I’M DOING!”

Finn nodded as Rey kicked off from the ground, shooting into the air on her glider. She concealed herself against the starry night sky. Maz had told her that the Fire Nation was the weakest during the night. They received their power during the day and from the sun, so as long as they were defeated before daybreak, the Southern Water Tribe would survive.

As she reached the ship, she swung down and landed on the deck gracefully. Rey ducked and rolled, hiding behind a metal crate.

“Aim to kill.” One of the soldiers said to another. “Show no mercy. Snoke wants the water tribes gone, especially those who show no allegiance to him.”

The soldiers were brutes, men strengthened by thick cords of muscle in their arms and legs. Their crimson armor adorned every inch of their skin, protecting them from weaponry. The men bore the seal of the Fire Nation and each tied their hair up out of their face with golden chains, a symbol of allegiance to the Fire Lord. They were strong, but Rey had the element of surprise.

She sprung into action, swiping her glider up to crack across the face of one of the guards, who fell to the deck unconscious. She ducked as the other guard shot a dangerous stream of fire in her direction. She whacked her glider against his ankles, causing him to fall to the deck with a satisfying thud. 

Using her bending, she wrapped them both in air and lifted them with ease, throwing them overboard and into the icy water. She knew that the only way to take out a Fire Nation ship was to take out the catapults. Rey dashed in the direction of the two catapults on deck, pushing away any guard in her path.

She approached the first catapult, swiping air across the metal column sustaining it, causing it to creak due to the strong gusts. She heard a guard advance from behind and she sidestepped quickly, causing him to hit the heavy iron and collapse in a heap of limbs. Rey continued her work and soon enough, the first catapult fell.

She confidently advanced on the second one, but was knocked off of her feet by a Fire Nation guard who pointed a dangerously sharp spear at her chest. Rey attempted to slide away, but the guard jammed his boot into her ankle, holding her in place.

“Who are you?” He demanded gruffly, digging the tip of the spear into her collarbone. Only a quick glance down confirmed she was bleeding.

“An airbender.” She smirked before raising her palm and shooting him back with a blast of air. The guard yelled as he went sprawling overboard.

Rey got to her feet and dashed to the second catapult, pulling it apart with her airbending. More guards advanced on her, but she easily evaded them. The catapult eventually fell after she managed to lift parts of it and toss them into the sea. The adrenaline from the fight was exhilarating and sent Rey into a spiral of energy and power. She needed to control it, or she would activate the Avatar state and reveal her true identity to the Fire Nation. Rey ducked behind the wreckage in order to see how her damage would play out.

“Retreat!” She heard the red-haired admiral shout. She noticed the strain in his voice and the vein emerging under his pale skinned forehead. “We’ve lost all of our fire power!”

“We can’t sir!” One of the guards protested. “They’re just a puny, insignificant water tribe! Lord Snoke will be furious if we return home having failed!”

“They have the Avatar!” The admiral spat, the words pouring out of his mouth like a venom. 

Rey gasped, crouching lower in hopes to avoid detection.

“The Avatar?” The guard asked in disbelief. “How?”

“She’s an airbender. She is scum. She is the one thing Leader Snoke has vowed to destroy.” The admiral sneered, flourishing his cape and storming away from the outspoken guard. “Retreat! That is an order from your Admiral, Admiral Hux!”

She gulped, taking her cue to leave. Rey leaped into the air, gliding back to her friends. She was celebrated as they watched the retreating form of the Fire Nation ship. Gran Gran tended to her small wounds, utilizing her abilities to heal them completely. The children of the water tribe hugged her, thanking her for saving them. Rey smiled at them all, unaccustomed to the constant attention. Rey’s gaze quickly snapped from the children to the sky, the rising sun reminding her of the Fire Nation. 

“Finn, Poe.” She hurried, grabbing them both by the hands. “We need to go now. Right now.”

“What?” Finn cried. “Why? You were incredible! The Fire Nation won’t dare to return!”

“They know I’m the Avatar. It won’t be too long before word reaches Fire Lord Snoke that I am alive.”

Poe and Finn eyed her nervously and followed her to where BeeBee was waiting for them, well fed and well rested. They mounted him again, Finn looking a bit green but better than last time.

“You’ll get used to it.” Rey reassured, commanding for BeeBee to fly.

“Easy for you to say! You’re an airbender!”

Poe chuckled off to the side. “Where to, Avatar?”

“First to visit my family in the Southern Air Temple, then we head North.” Rey said. She was greeted by a cacophonous silence. The quietness of her friends spoke a thousand words. Rey’s eyes watered, fearing the worst.

Little did she know, there would be much worse things ahead, such as two Fire Nation messenger hawks. In a few hours, word would reach the Fire Nation capital, and Fire Lord Snoke, revealing that the Avatar was in fact very much alive. The other, however, would land on the arm of an exiled uncle with a nephew who sought nothing but vengeance for himself.

***

Ben was fuming, barely containing his rage as his iron tight grip melted through the bars of the boat railing. He ran a shaky hand through his shaggy black hair that had grown long past his ears during his time at sea. 

“You’re overreacting.” His uncle reasoned, his blue eyes filling with concern. “This doesn’t change anything.”

“This changes everything, uncle.” He spat, pacing back and forth. “The Avatar is alive. This could shift the tide in the favor of the other elements.”

“Would that be such a bad thing, Prince Ben?” Luke asked, stepping closer to Ben. “If what you seek is revenge on Lord Snoke and everyone who has wronged you, perhaps the Avatar’s return is a blessing. She took down an entire Fire Nation ship’s ammunition alone.”

“She?” Ben cried, his eyes widening, pulling at the raised skin that bisected the right half of his face. He reached up to caress the scar, closing his eyes and remembering: 

__The throne room was dark, aside from the crimson lined walls that reminded young Ben of blood. He gripped Mother and Father’s hands, swallowing nervously and approaching the throne of the Fire Lord. The heat of the fire surrounding the Fire Lord was intense, making Ben’s eyes water. He puffed up his chest in an attempt to feel confident._ _

__“Yes. Leia and Han, and young Ben.” The Fire Lord’s voice was raspy and quiet, sending shivers up and down Ben’s spine. “Welcome.”_ _

__“What are you doing, Snoke?” Mother asked, stepping forward away from Ben. “You vowed to end the war that our father Vader started. Now you have only added fuel to the fire.”_ _

__Snoke cackled, emerging from the flames. His steely blue eyes snapped to Ben and he grinned devilishly, rolling up the sleeves or his ornate gold robe . Ben shrunk back away in fear, hiding behind his father._ _

__“I am only creating the most powerful empire there is! I am bringing glory to the people of the Fire Nation.”_ _

__“No!” Father shouted. “You only seek glory for yourself, and you’d win it by killing off those in other kingdoms! We were created with the sole purpose to unite as one people, despite our differing abilities! You need to put a stop to this, or it will be too late and all that will be left will be ashes!”_ _

__“I count on there being ashes as I burn those who oppose me to the ground.” Snoke stepped closer, folding his hands in front of him. “But why do you worry? You ally yourselves with me. You have everything you could ever desire within the walls of this palace. Your son is safe. You are safe. Nothing else matters.”_ _

__“What matters is that our people are being sent to fight in an endless war, a pointless war! A war against benders of the other elements who do not want to fight! This must stop!” Mother said sternly. His mother clenched her fists at her sides, hiding them in the skirts of her long burgundy dress._ _

__“You know what I do to traitors I presume?” Snoke asked, fingering the two blades that were sheathed in his belt._ _

__“We do.” Father said quickly. “Leia, that is enough.”_ _

__“No!” Mother shouted, holding a hand out to her husband. “I will not allow for Ben to grow up in a place divided by war!”_ _

__“This is the war to end all wars, my dearest Leia and Han. You have nothing to worry about with regards to your son’s upbringing.”_ _

__Before Ben could blink, Snoke unsheathed his two blades and plunged them into his mother and father’s chests. Ben wailed, reaching for his parents as they both collapsed to the floor, coughing and sputtering._ _

__His mother reached for him, pulling him to her bleeding chest. She spoke to him quietly as blood seeped past her lips, carding her fingertips through his curly hair. “Don’t be afraid, Ben. Never forget. Mommy loves you. Be strong, be safe.”_ _

__“We love you, Ben.” Father whispered, turning towards them, his body contracted in pain._ _

__Ben watched in horror as they both closed their eyes and took their final breaths, leaving him utterly alone. He screamed, fire bursting forth, a symbol of his pent up rage. His parents burned, the scent of burning flesh filling the throne room. Ben sobbed, pounding his small fists into the floor as his whole world went up in flames. He raised his head to look at Snoke, who stood silent and observant. Ben charged, but was swept up by the Fire Lord who held him in place._ _

__“Quiet, young Ben.” Snoke whispered. “You killed them. They’re burning because of you.”_ _

__“NO! NO! NO!” He screamed, writhing and squirming, desperate to free himself from the man’s grip._ _

__“It is time I took on an apprentice.” Snoke declared, unsheathing his knife. “Your actions today warrant a punishment, don’t you think?”_ _

__“You killed them!” He roared, clenching his teeth and unleashing all of his hate. “You killed them!”_ _

__Ben kicked, lashing out and catching Lord Snoke by surprise. Snoke released his hold on Ben momentarily, and he took advantage of the moment as an attempt to escape. Ben bolted in the direction of the door, hoping to flee the throne room and find help. He did not get far before he was seized by his tunic and swung around like a club, slamming into a pillar. His vision went fuzzy as he stared into the eyes of the murderous and grotesque man in front of him._ _

__“Apprentices must always be taught a lesson.” Snoke hissed, tracing the shiny blade along Ben’s jaw, pricking and prodding at the tender skin there. “Here is your first. Obey me, and there will be no consequences.”_ _

__Snoke raised the knife and slashed it across Ben’s face. Ben shouted in pain as blood poured into his eyes and he was blinded, clutching his hands to the open wound._ _

__“You’re mine now, little firebender. You will be the greatest and most loyal warrior I will have ever trained.” Snoke whispered in his ear._ _

__Ben felt the hilt of Snoke’s knife crack against the side of his head before he closed his eyes and passed out. When he woke, his worst nightmare would begin..._ _

“Are you alright, Ben?” Luke asked.

Ben snapped out of his thoughts, whipping around to face his uncle, a fire blazing in his whiskey colored eyes. “I’m going to find her, and I’m going to end her.”

Uncle Luke’s eyes widened. “No. You don’t need to do that.”

Ben stormed away from his uncle, still deep in thought. If he brought Snoke the Avatar, perhaps he could get close enough to kill Snoke himself, or even take the throne. His honor with the Fire Nation would be restored. He could go home.

“I know what you’re thinking, Ben.” Luke called after him. “You think this will make Snoke welcome you home with open arms.”

Ben clenched his teeth and turned around, sneering at his uncle. “I will restore my glory!”

“That’s what he wants you to believe. He’ll use you for your power and then snuff it out through manipulation how he always does!” 

A battle waged within him. He wanted revenge for all of the wrongs Snoke had wrought, something he could not disclose to his Uncle, or anyone for that matter. Getting close to Snoke was all he needed, and the Avatar could be a means to do so. 

Luke’s calm demeanor rivaled Ben’s frazzled one. “I lost Leia and Han to Snoke, in case you’ve forgotten. I won’t lose you too.”

Ben flinched at the mention of his dead parents. Snoke killed them, but it was Ben’s fault. He had burned them. Perhaps they would have survived if Ben had controlled his anger. For his whole life, he had mourned the family he lost at his young age. 

“I’m here for you, Ben. Snoke isn’t.”

“]He trained me. He made me into the warrior that I am. He demolished the weakness within me. You only came along when you realized you had become a target. You were saving your own ass!” Ben spat.

His uncle had remained fairly disconnected from Ben’s life until Ben was a teenager. The other elements’ militias targeted Luke, knowing his connection to the royals of the Fire Nation. Luke sought refuge in the palace for the first time since his sister and best friend died. Luke had shown no sympathy towards Ben during his time of mourning, a reality that set Ben’s teeth on edge.

Luke sighed, approaching Ben, concerned. “You may be Snoke’s protege, but you will always be Leia’s son. I trust you will make the right decision.”

Ben growled in discontent and stalked away to his quarters. Solo men always had a flair for dramatics.

He slumped down into the chair at his desk, deftly selecting a calligraphy pen from its case and twirling it between his thumb and forefinger. In his silent fury he snapped it, ink spewing across his desk and onto a clean piece of parchment. It reminded him of the blood spilled that day.

He pondered where the Avatar was, where __she__ was, the airbender who had taken out the firepower of a Fire Nation ship single handedly. Obviously, she was strong and powerful, but Ben had to eliminate her and bring her to Snoke. It was the only way he could restore his glory and live the life he was destined for, as leader of the Fire Nation.

Where would the newly awakened Avatar go first? Surely back to her roots. 

Ben stood, assertive and determined, ready to find the Avatar and put an end to the shame he had received at the hands of Snoke once and for all. He called out to a guard in the hallway, barking an order at him.

“Set course for the Southern Air Temple. We have an Avatar to catch.”


	2. Book of Air: Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey, Poe, and Finn venture to the Southern Air Temple where Rey learns the ugly truth about what really happened to the Air Nomads fifty years ago. The Fire Nation Prince and the Avatar meet for the first time, but their meeting is not a happy one. Uncle Luke plays Pai Sho and imparts some wisdom upon his nephew.

_**Book of Air: Part II** _

“ _Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them, but when the world needed her most, she vanished. Fifty years passed and my friend Poe and I discovered the new Avatar, an airbender named Rey. Although her airbending skills are great, she has a lot to learn before she’s ready to save anyone. But I believe Rey can save the world.”_

_-Finn of the Southern Water Tribe_

_***_

Poe had never seen a place so beautiful, and so warm. Granted, he and Finn had not ventured very far from home, so this was his first time seeing something other than ice and snow, and he found that he rather enjoyed it. Poe especially loved flying, the gentle morning breeze ruffling through his seal-skin jacket and inky hair. He glanced over at Finn who did not appear to be as comfortable, holding onto BeeBee’s saddle with his eyes screwed shut. As they descended upon the Southern Air Temple, Poe gaped at the towering buildings, each crafted from a white marble, twisting and turning stunningly into the clouds. He watched as the tension eased from Rey’s expression, her cooing at BeeBee and landing them in a stable atop one of the closest mountains.

“We’re home, BeeBee!” Rey exclaimed, hopping down and rustling the bison’s fur. “I can’t wait to find everyone!”

Poe smiled sadly in an attempt to hide the inevitable truth Rey would face. She was the last airbender, and she did not even know it.

Finn dismounted ungracefully, queasily wobbling towards a patch of grass and emptying the contents of his stomach, causing Poe and Rey to look away in disgust. 

“Oh, that’s nasty.” Finn groaned, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. “I officially hate flying.”

BeeBee nudged him with a paw in discontent. Sometimes, Poe wondered if the bison could understand everything they said.

“No offense buddy.” Finn grinned, patting BeeBee on the head affectionately. “Maybe I’ll get used to it.”

“You will.” Rey assured, slinging her staff across her back. Her face lit up as she beckoned for Poe and Finn to follow her. “There’s so much I want to show you!”

Poe followed Rey down the steps, swallowing a warning. Should they tell Rey the truth? Should they let her figure it out herself? He turned back to face Finn, who also wore a nervous expression. 

“What do we tell her?” Poe whispered, furrowing his brow and gesturing to Rey with a shake of his head.

Finn shrugged. “I feel terrible. Everything she loves is gone. We need to tell her.”

Poe nodded accordingly and turned back to Rey, who had dashed up another set of steps, calling for her family.

“Maz?” She shouted. “Where are you Master? It’s me, Rey!”

Suddenly, a winged lemur dashed out from a bush, landing skittishly on Poe’s shoulder. Poe yelped, batting at it in an attempt to get it off of him.

Rey laughed, approaching Poe and grabbing the lemur, sitting it comfortably on her shoulder. “Hello Deeoh! I’ve missed you!”

Poe confusedly looked at Rey as she scratched the lemur behind the ears. For someone so strong and serious in battle, she could be childish when she wanted to be.

The lemur tilted its head and blinked its beady green eyes at Poe. Poe and Finn approached it sheepishly and waved. Deeoh swatted at Poe with his tail and dashed off of Rey’s shoulder and up a final set of stairs.

“I think he is trying to show us something! Maybe he knows where everyone is!” Rey smiled and rushed up the stairs.

Finn called after her and Poe followed suit. “Wait Rey! There’s something we have to tell you-”

Poe nearly toppled into Finn, who stood at the top of the stairs, a mournful look in his eyes. Rey was stick-straight, tense and silent. Poe gasped at the sight before them.

Hundreds of skeletons lined the large courtyard, some nearly decomposed, others, charred and preserved under rubble. Poe knew who they were, all airbenders, easily recognizable by the traditional orange robes that Rey wore. From afar, the temple had appeared unscathed, but now, the three knew that was far from the truth.

Rey dropped to her knees and began to sob. Poe and Finn wrapped protective arms around her as she wept, crying for the family she had lost and failed to protect.

“It’s my fault. I couldn’t save them.” She stuttered, wiping her face. “I tried to help. I wasn’t strong enough.”

“It’s not your fault, Rey.” Poe said, rubbing her shoulder, hoping to comfort her. “There’s nothing you could have done.”

“Who did this?” She asked, her voice carrying a silent fury. Rey stood, clenching her fists in anger. Her answer was right in front of her.

A Fire Nation helmet.

“I’ll kill them. I’ll kill all of them.” She seethed, forcefully shoving the helmet into a pillar, causing it to shatter with a satisfying crash. Poe flinched at the noise but watched the young Avatar in concern.

“That’s why we have to stop the Fire Nation, Rey.” Finn said. “So they can never hurt anyone ever again.”

“They killed them all. They killed my family.” She growled, her sadness morphing into a rage that Poe was afraid of. He could not possibly imagine what this girl could do at her maximum power. He did not want to find out.

“They’ve taken so much from so many people, Rey.” Poe said. “They’ve divided families and wiped out kingdoms. It is time they pay for what they’ve done.”

“Am I really the last Airbender?” Rey asked, her eyes red and face blotchy.

Poe focused on the tattoo that sat in the middle of her forehead, a tattoo that branded her for what she was, a lone Airbender in a world full of people who did not understand her.

The two boys nodded solemnly. Poe sighed, remembering the stories he had heard about Vader’s reign as the Fire Lord. “The Air Temples were taken out right as you disappeared. Many people thought that the Fire Nation had taken out the Avatar with the temples and that the Avatar was gone forever. Little did we know that you were alive, at least, sort of.”

“You’re not alone, Rey.” Finn said. “We’re going to help you. We promise.”

Poe watched at doubt crossed Rey’s expression, clouding in her eyes. Poe tried to smile to show that they were being genuine, but his smile always made it appear as if he were joking. 

“I need to be alone. There’s something I need to see before we leave.” Rey whispered, touching them both on the shoulder.

Finn nodded. “Take your time. We’ll be with BeeBee when you’re ready to go.”

Poe and Finn watched her retreating form, her shoulders still hunched in defeat. Deeoh scattered after the Airbender, clearly happy to be reunited with the last of his kind.

Suddenly, a shadow descended from the clouds. A small Fire Nation war balloon landed atop one of the towers. From what Poe could tell, it had been dispatched from one of the Fire Nation ships. Out climbed a boy about their age, but possibly one and a half times their size. It couldn’t be! 

“Is that?” Finn stammered, ducking to hide behind BeeBee.

“Uh-huh.” Poe nodded, watching as the Fire Nation prince ascended the stairs in Rey’s direction.

“And he’s headed in…” Finn did not finish his sentence. “Shit.”

***

Rey wiped the remaining tears that trekked slowly down her face. She could not cry anymore, even though she missed her family. Finn and Poe were right. They had to stop the Fire Nation. In order to do that, she needed answers, which was why she sought the room Maz had shown her several times when she had first discovered she was the Avatar. Deeoh chittered behind her, clambering up her back and nestling his way into her hood. She smiled at the odd comfort of having him there. Rey teared up a bit more, remembering her time with the Airbender children and their winged lemurs.

She approached the room, which was closed off, only openable by an Airbender. The door was locked by a series of intricate pipes and tubes. When the right amount of air was blown through them, the door would open and unveil a well kept Air Nomad secret. Rey prayed that the room had gone untouched, afterall, only an Airbender could open it. Perhaps the Fire Nation had left the room alone.

Rey exhaled, closing her eyes and centering her chi. She had never opened the room without assistance from Maz, but Rey sought nothing but consolidation and comfort, things she knew the contents of the room would offer her. Rey stretched her palms out to either side of her, reaching into the space and shaping the air, almost as if it was an extension of her. Air traveled up and down her arms and she envisioned it curling and twisting, entering the golden pipes on the stone doors.

The doors groaned and Rey’s eyes snapped open. The corners of her mouth perked up at the sight of the great doors pulling to either side revealing a large and vast cavern, lit by small torches on the wall. To her relief, the statues were in perfect condition, just as she had remembered them.

She stepped closer to view the statue that was most familiar to her, one of a short and green creature with arms outstretched, pebbles hovering over its hands. Maz had taught her about this Avatar, Avatar Yoda, an Earthbender who had come before her. Closing her eyes, she reached out and placed her palm on the statue, folding her legs underneath her in a form of meditation. She called out for Yoda and his guidance.

_“Young Rey.” The creature croaked, his wise eyes casting a slightly judgemental look over her. “It has been nearly fifty years since you last visited me. Worried, I was, that something had happened to you.”_

_Rey bowed in reverence, admiring the effervescent glow surrounding the earthbender. “Master Yoda, my family, they are gone.”_

_“Killed by the Fire Nation, they were.” Yoda nodded sadly. His shriveled form was wrapped in a torn and ratty cloak with too many holes to count. “The end, this is not.”_

_“I sought you out because I need your guidance. I don’t think I can defeat the Fire Nation alone.”_

_“Alone, you will never be.” He chuckled, tapping her on the nose with a short wooden cane. “The Avatars of the spirit realm will be with you always.”_

_“What if I fail? What if I cannot save the world?” She cried, pleading with him. “There are massive expectations that everyone has for me. I don’t know if I can meet them.”_

_“The greatest teacher, failure is.” Yoda promised, speaking as if he knew from experience. “Fail you will, but that should never prevent you from trying in the first place.”_

_Rey tearfully nodded. “Am I on the right path? Must I seek out the Northern Water Tribe?”_

_“Yes.” Master Yoda agreed, reaching a clawed hand out to touch the arrow on her forehead, just as Maz had several years ago. “Find a waterbender teacher you must. Then an earthbender. Then a firebender. Only then will you defeat the Fire Lord.”_

_“Can you teach me earthbending?” She asked, eager. “Can I learn how to bend the other elements from the previous Avatars?”_

_Yoda shook his head. “Powerful is the spirit realm. Exploited for the gain of another, it must not be. Fit to train the Avatar physically I will never be.”_

_Rey frowned in disappointment, casting her eyes to the floor in shame. “I’m afraid.”_

_“Normal, fear is. You must not let it consume you, young Avatar.”_

_“I am afraid of what lies ahead. Of what or who I might discover.”_

_“Unexpected discoveries lie ahead. Find belonging in someone unexpected, you will.” Master Yoda said. “Forget forgiveness, you must not.”_

_“What do you mean?” Rey asked, frustrated at the Master’s crypticness. “With whom will I find belonging?”_

_“Ahead of you, the answer is. Hope lives, and will always live, so long as you fight. And fight, you must.”_

_Rey nodded, finally understanding the Master’s words. She needed to craft her destiny and seek out the answers that lied ahead. Only then, would she be able to defeat Fire Lord Snoke._

_“Thank you, Master Yoda. Your guidance is appreciated.”_

She bowed her head and folded her hands as Yoda’s spirit returned to his statue, leaving Rey in the dingy glow of the cavern.

She glanced around, relaxing at the sight of other Avatars she recognized. Next to Yoda was a bearded man with sapphires for eyes and a kind smile. Avatar Kenobi, she remembered, a very powerful waterbender. Next in line was Avatar Windu, a strong man with a determined expression, a firebender. Rey recalled Maz telling her that Avatar Windu found balance within his firebending, preventing his rage from consuming him completely. This allowed for him to be in control of the fire, not the other way around. Perhaps Avatar Windu had some answers for her about the Fire Nation.

Rey placed a hand on Windu’s statue and inhaled, calling out for him in her mind.

_“Last Airbender.” Avatar Windu acknowledged, bowing his head. “Why do you seek my guidance?”_

_“I need to know more about the Fire Nation.” Rey explained. “I figured that you could help me understand how they came to be how they are now.”_

_“The reign of the Fire Nation begins a long time ago with an ancient group of firebenders called the Sith.” Windu said. “The Sith were selective in their members, but believed that fire could be used to destroy, rather than to simply provide warmth and defense.”_

_“Was Vader part of the Sith?”_

_“For a time, yes.” Windu nodded solemnly. “I was before Vader, but I dealt with his predecessor and mentor, Sidious.”_

_Rey shivered at the name, a name that sounded menacing. “Who was Sidious?”_

_“Sidious for a time was a leader of the Sith. I worked with the Fire Nation to destroy the Sith. We thought it had been disbanded permanently, Sidious with it, but we were wrong.”_

_“What happened?”_

_“That is how I became one with the spirit realm. I fought Sidious until the bitter end, but he used an ability I had never seen firebenders use before; lightning.”_

_“So Sidious lived?” Rey questioned, clenching her hands at her sides._

_“Yes. Sidious vowed to destroy the Avatars, and to do it he needed to influence someone in a position of power within the Fire Nation.”_

_“Vader?”_

_“At the time, he was just a boy.” Windu said. “Sidious wanted the Avatar cycle to return to the Fire Nation, so he sent young Anakin, who later became Vader, on missions to locate and eliminate Avatar Kenobi and Avatar Yoda. As Vader grew older, he became more hostile and violent. The death of Padme, his wife, fifty years ago, sent Vader over the edge.”_

_“And Sidious now? Surely he’s dead.” Rey concluded._

_“No one knows.” Avatar Windu shook his head. “In the spirit realm, we can detect every living thing. We haven’t felt Sidious’ presence in almost thirty years, since Vader’s death.”_

_“What do you think happened to him?”_

_“Sidious could be alive, but most likely he is dead.”_

_“And Fire Lord Snoke?” She questioned curiously, fearing the worst. The pressure to defeat him rested on her shoulders, and she was reminded of it constantly ever since she had emerged from the iceberg._

_“I’m less informed on what is going on now in the Fire Nation, but Snoke definitely has ties to the Sith, given the ongoing war. His apprentice and Vader’s grandson Ben has been under his tutelage for years, up until recently.” Avatar Windu furrowed his brows._

_“Up until recently? What do you mean?”_

_“Prince Ben was outcast from the Fire Nation due to his weakness. He challenged Snoke to an Agni Kai and lost. An Agni Kai is a Fire Nation duel, often to the death. Snoke did not kill Ben, but instead exiled him.”_

_“And now?” Rey asked, curious. “What has become of him?”_

_“He seeks revenge.” Avatar Windu said. “He wreaks havoc and destruction. Just because he is no longer with Snoke does not mean that he is not a threat. He is dangerous and still devoutly loyal to the Fire Nation. He wants the throne, and will do anything, perhaps even kill Snoke, for it.”_

_“Thank you, Avatar Windu, for your guidance.” Rey removed her hand from the statue._

“Avatar.” A deep voice sounded behind her.

Rey whipped around, scrambling to her feet. Deeoh skimpered out of the cavern and over the dark boots of someone standing at the entrance. Her breath hitched at the sight of the exiled Fire Nation prince and she recalled Avatar Windu’s words. He paced in front of her, blocking her pathway to the doors, his hand brushing over the hilt of his broadsword at his waist. The prince was tall, surpassing her by nearly a foot. His form was imposing and he exuded darkness, something that caused Rey to shiver. He was broad with fair skin and dark, curly locks that tumbled to his shoulders. A scar bisected half of his face, trailing across his cheek, down his neck, and into his tunic. If he hadn’t been her enemy, Rey would have considered him handsome. She clenched her fists and narrowed her eyes, causing air to swirl around her gently, almost as a reminder of her power.

“What do you want?” She spat.

“I want to talk.” He responded, the corners of his mouth perking up into a smirk. 

Rey shook her head. “I’d rather not.” 

He smiled at her, cocking his head. Rey tried to ignore how charming he looked. Afterall, it was all a Fire Nation facade, something he had spent years of his life behind palace walls perfecting.

“For someone who disappeared for fifty years, you were awfully easy to find.” He teased. The torches along the walls of the cavern flickered.

His mention of her disappearance reminded her of what the Fire Nation had done to her home, and it filled her with blinding rage. Rey whirled, sending a blast of air straight into his chest, which sent him sprawling back into the wall.

“Why are you here?” She growled.

Ben stood up, seemingly unaffected, which confused Rey, as she had just hurled him into a wall.

“For you.” He unsheathed his blade, taking a fighting stance. Fire crackled in his opposite palm, a small flame that's warmth could be felt from where she was standing. “And, to restore my glory.”

***

When he first found her, Ben was surprised to find that she looked different than he expected. Firstly, she was young, likely a few years younger than him, though he had anticipated that she would have been his uncle’s age. Fifty years had gone by since her disappearance and she hadn’t aged a day. And secondly, he found her to be quite beautiful. She was dressed in traditional Air Nomad robes, a yellow tunic with an orange overlay and her arms were wrapped in a series of beige fabric strips. The blue arrow on her forehead contrasted with her tan skin that was dotted with freckles. Her chestnut hair was tied into three buns that lined the back of her head.

She unstrapped her staff from across her back and twirled it skillfully over her head. Her stance was strong and her technique appeared to be refined. The Nomads had trained her, then. 

Ben knew he had to take her to Snoke to infiltrate the upper ranks of the Fire Nation, dead or alive. He’d prefer it if he did not have to kill her, given that she would be an asset for the Fire Nation, but at this point, he had become desperate. There was a validation he could not find within himself, a validation that would only come when he claimed his rightful place on the throne.

“Your glory?” She inquired, pacing to her right. They began circling one another, each brandishing their weapons but neither making a move to attack. 

“Yes, my glory. My pride.” Ben retorted.

“It is because of your nation’s pride that my family is dead!” She cried, lunging at him. Her staff whipped over his head and he ducked, swiping his blade at her ankles. She was quick, evading his slice by simply jumping to hover slightly above the ground.

Ben shot a stream of fire in her direction and she flipped over it, landing gracefully in a crouch, hand still firmly gripped around her staff.

“My Nation seeks to restore peace!” Ben retaliated. He went for an overhead blow, which she blocked. He aggressively took more swipes at her, which she parried and stopped with her staff.

“Peace?” She sounded amused. “You call all of this destruction peace?”

“It will become peace.” Ben said, though he was not too sure he believed that. 

“Your sense of entitlement will lead to your downfall.” She grunted, pushing against his blade. Ben noticed the beads of sweat gathering at her brow. While she was agile, he surpassed her in brute strength and stamina. He had suffered under Snoke’s intense training regiments which made him practically unbeatable in combat.

The Avatar shoved at him, catching him off balance. She sent a blast of air towards him, which he expected. Ben dodged it and sheathed his blade. He ignited fire in both palms then combined the two flames, passing them between either hand almost playfully. He always admired how fire could restore light but cause destruction at the same time. Fire was volatile and unpredictable, just like him.

She threw her staff away and called the air to her. Gusts of wind travelled up her arms and twisted into the room and around Ben. She looked formidable this way, her eyes flashing with anger as she commanded the element of her origin. He narrowed his eyes as they both collided in a series of elemental attacks. His were far more deadly, he even managed to singe the edges of her robes several times, but she was sharp and light on her feet. She was evasive, like a fluttering bird that escaped death with its nimbleness. Ben began to tire, and he could tell that she was too, as he could hear her heaving for air. He cornered her, backing her into a wall, his hands still crackling with fire.

“You can’t escape me Avatar.” He seethed. “You have two fates that you can choose from. Die by my blade or flames, or come willingly to the Fire Lord and surrender. Your choice.”

“And what if I prefer neither?” She quipped, though he could tell that she was scared, her fast heartbeat pulsing in her neck.

Ben laughed darkly, shaking his head and unsheathing his blade, simply as a reminder to her of what her fate could be. “You are going to the Fire Lord, dead or alive. At this point, I don’t really care which way you decide. I’d prefer it though, if things didn’t get so messy. I don’t like carrying around dead-weight.”

He approached the corner in which she had found refuge and placed one hand next to her head and set the blade to her throat. He could hear her breath coming in terrified puffs. This close, he could see that her eyes were a mixture between green and brown, with gold flecks that showed when the light hit her.

“I don’t want to die.” She said, furrowing her brows.

“Good.” Ben said, sheathing his blade. He smirked at her, though she remained emotionless. “Shall we?”

She darted into the air faster than he could blink, her toe catching him under the chin, causing his neck to whip back quickly. Ben ground his jaw in pain and watched as she landed by her staff then made a dash for the doors of the cavern. Ben growled in discontent and chased after her, determined to catch up with her and subdue her once and for all. 

They dashed down the steps of the temple, predator after prey. Ben was gaining on her, his longer stride making sure of that.

“REY!” He heard a boy call. Ben glanced up and saw a hovering bison, along with two Water Tribe boys calling out to the Avatar. A winged lemur was clinging to the bison’s fur.

“REY, HURRY!” The other called frantically. So Rey was her name, was it?

Ben was only a few paces behind her, but before he could unleash his broadsword or fire, she shot into the air again, her staff morphing into a glider. She landed atop the bison and took a hold of his reins. 

“BeeBee, Yip Yip!” Rey shouted and the trio rose into the air, dashing into the clouds and out of sight.

Ben cursed, screaming as he frustratedly made his way to his balloon. He could not believe that he had to return to his ship empty handed. He scorched everything in his path, including the skeletons he passed. It did not matter, they were dead anyway, and the singular person who would mourn them had escaped his grasp. Something about her called him to him. She was a good fighter, strong and determined, and she would only get more powerful as she mastered the other three elements. But there was something else. He almost saw himself in her. She was impressionable and desperate for belonging and an explanation about her place in the world, something he knew all too well.

As Ben’s balloon rose into the air, he sighed in frustration, placing his face into his hands. He was surely going to get a scolding from his uncle, perhaps about the fact that his impulsiveness led to his failure. Ben could not be a failure. He had too much to prove, a legacy to uphold, the legacy of Vader and Snoke and his parents. He could not fail them, even though he had failed himself. He grit his teeth and tugged on his hair one last time before steering his balloon back to his ship, a newfound determination sizzling under his skin.

***

Luke stirred his cup of tea and looked at his Pai Sho board, his eyes twinkling with mirth as his opponent, one of the Fire Nation guards sighed in defeat. He was undefeated in Pai Sho, his mother Padme taught it to him and his sister when they were young. Luke’s heart panged at the thought of his dead sister. Tears gathered in his sapphire eyes before he blinked them away and turned to face his next opponent.

“Ah, Ezra.” Luke smiled, tipping his head in respect for the guard who had just sat down opposite him. He rearranged the tiles on the board to a starting position. “Come for a rematch, I see.”

The guard laughed lightheartedly. “I don’t know how you do it.” 

“Sometimes I amaze myself, Ezra.” He chuckled, sipping his jasmine tea, a brew of his own creation, before making the first move of the game.

Suddenly, Ben’s war balloon shot through the clouds and landed on the deck of the ship. Out came a furious looking Ben with no Avatar in tow. Just as Luke had suspected, Ben had failed. It was not that Luke thought his nephew was a failure. Luke knew that Ben was destined for greater things than being at Snoke’s right hand.

Luke excused himself from the game and stood to confront his nephew, who stormed past him and below deck. He followed Ben into his quarters.

“Now is not the time, Uncle. Shouldn’t you be playing Pai Sho with your lame friends?” Ben spat rudely. Luke was used to Ben’s insolence, so he did not bat an eyelash at the insult.

“I came to ask you how it went.” Luke said, approaching Ben carefully. Ben was a bomb ready to explode, so Luke had to choose his words cautiously.

“Obviously not well.” Ben muttered. “I was so close to apprehending her, but she escaped on a flying bison.”

Luke raised his eyebrows and smirked in amusement, but stopped doing so when Ben glared at him. “You were going to apprehend her? Not kill her? You seemed pretty set on destroying her when you left.”

“She’s young and impressionable. The Fire Nation could use her.” Ben reasoned.

“Young?” Luke inquired, rubbing his chin as if in deep thought. He knew the action put Ben on edge. “Interesting. I suspected that she would have been pretty old by now.”

“She’s the same age she would have been fifty years ago.” Ben revealed. Luke watched as Ben unstrapped his armor and slumped onto his bed, obviously defeated.

“You wanted to take her to Snoke?” Luke asked, curious, though worried as well. He folded his hands in front of him and waited expectantly for his nephew’s answer.

“Yes.” Ben retorted. “That’s what I said.” 

“You’d put another human being through the torture you suffered?” Luke questioned, trying to keep his voice level and calm.

“It made me stronger and it would make her stronger. She’d be a weapon for the Fire Nation that could end this war.” He said, though Ben did not sound so convinced.

Luke shook his head in disbelief. “You want to condemn her to the fate you’ve had, simply because you want a pat on the back from Snoke? I’m telling you now, Ben. It’s not worth it.”

“It is!” Ben shouted, shooting up from his seated position. “You don’t understand Uncle! You never have! Everything I am and everything I will become comes from Snoke. I am destined to succeed him on the throne. That power will be mine, and the only way to do it is if I prove myself and bring him the Avatar.”

Luke looked confusedly at his nephew for a moment, knowing that Ben had some sort of plan he was not mentioning. Perhaps Ben simply viewed the Avatar as a means to an end? Luke sighed and turned to leave the room. Before he left, he stopped at the door and looked back at his nephew who was once again deep in thought. 

“Ben.” Luke said tenderly. “There is light and peace inside of you. If you let it out, you can change the world around you.”

Ben looked up at him, regret flashing in his eyes for the briefest of moments before his gaze hardened again. Luke knew that Ben regretted what he had done, he just had to make sure that Ben realized it too. Luke had to help his nephew forgive himself, only then would he follow his true destiny.

“I can’t come back from what I’ve done.” Ben said, staring at the metal floor as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. “My parents are dead because of me. The people I’ve killed, the bodies I’ve buried, there’s no hope left for me now.”

“Perhaps you need to find someone who brings that hope out of you, someone who knows what it is like to be alone.” Luke whispered, before nodding at Ben and exiting to return to his Pai Sho board.

“Ezra, I hope you haven’t cheated by rearranging the tiles? If I remember correctly the lotus tile was on the opposite side of the board.” Luke chastised, winking.

Ezra sighed, shaking his head. “How’d you notice?”

“It’s my favorite tile.” Luke laughed, sipping his now cold tea. “The lotus is the most beatiful flower that I’ve ever seen. It’s white color symbolizes rebirth and purity, the ability to start anew.”

Perhaps Ben too would soon start anew, maybe with the Avatar? Luke chuckled to himself and leaned back into his chair, staring at the now approaching sunset. If you look for the light, you can often find it, but if you look for the dark, that is all you will ever see. He knew Ben would grow to understand this one day, but for now, all Luke could do was wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Here's Ch. 2. Sorry this took so long. Each chapter is around 5,000 to 7,000 words, so they take me a while to write as I am also in college. I don't have a beta and this is my first serious fanfiction, so if you notice any errors, please do not hesitate to tell me in the comments. Enjoy!

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I decided to write this fic because I recently finished watching Avatar: The Last Airbender and I absolutely loved it! I couldn't help but notice the obvious parallels between Zuko's redemption arc and Ben's redemption arc, so I thought I'd give this a try. Just know that the characters are younger in this fic than they are in the actual films (late teens), which is why the maturity of their characters in this first chapter might seem a little infantile. They'll all grow up as the story progresses! Thank you so much for reading and please leave comments if you want! Constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated!


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